Protective wearable carriage device and method

Abstract

A protective, wearable carriage device and method is provided such that the device conforms more substantially to the user's body, facilitates heat dissipation and facilitates modular attachment of different shapes and configurations of armor. In one embodiment of the present invention, a substantially rigid outer frame is provided with an outer surface material and an inner surface mesh material, and the outer frame is secured to an inner frame comprising a cloth netting such that the inner frame and outer frame create a gap between the inner frame and the spacer mesh material. In one embodiment of the present invention, one or more bowing stiffeners are secured to the outer frame so as to facilitate the desirable features of the present invention.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A personally wearable carriage device, comprising:
 a substantially rigid outer frame having an outer side and an inner side, wherein the inner side of the outer frame is formed with at least one channel, with the at least one channel having a channel length; 
 an outer material secured to or around the outer side of the outer frame so as to form an outer surface; 
 spacer mesh material secured to or around the inner side of the outer frame so as to form an inner surface; 
 a seam adjoining the outer material to the spacer mesh material; 
 an inner frame secured to the outer frame; and 
 at least one stiffener having a length that is greater than the channel length of the at least one channel in the outer frame, wherein the stiffener is secured entirely within the at least one channel so as to bow within the at least one channel and thereby 
 create a gap between the inner frame and the spacer mesh material. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1  wherein no piping is employed as the outer frame or inner frame. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1  wherein the seam comprises seam tape. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1  further including a buffer material connecting at least a portion of the outer frame to at least a portion of the inner frame. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1  wherein the inner frame comprises a cloth netting. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1  further wherein the inner side of the outer frame is formed with a plurality of channels, and further including a second stiffener secured within and caused to bow within a second one of the plurality of channels. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 6  wherein the plurality of channels are sewn into the spacer mesh material. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 6  wherein each of the stiffeners has a stiffener length, each of the plurality of channels has a respective channel length, and wherein each stiffener length is longer than a respective channel length. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1  wherein the outer material is provided with one or more attachment members. 
     
     
       10. A method of providing a carriage device, comprising:
 providing a substantially rigid outer frame having an outer side and an inner side, wherein the inner side of the outer frame is formed with at least one channel, with the at least one channel having a channel length; 
 providing an outer material secured to or around the outer side of the outer frame so as to form an outer surface; 
 providing a spacer mesh material secured to or around the inner side of the outer frame so as to form an inner surface; 
 adjoining the outer material to the spacer mesh material with a seam; 
 securing an inner frame to the outer frame; and 
 providing at least one stiffener having a length that is greater than the channel length of the at least one channel, and inserting the stiffener fully within the at least one channel such that the stiffener is caused to bow within the at least one channel and thereby 
 create a gap between the inner frame and the spacer mesh material. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  wherein no piping is employed as the outer frame or inner frame. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10  wherein the seam comprises seam tape. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10  further including the step of connecting at least a portion of the outer frame to at least a portion of the inner frame with a buffer material. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10  wherein the inner frame comprises a cloth netting. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10  further including the steps of forming a plurality of channels within the inner side of the outer frame and positioning a second stiffener in a second one of the plurality of channels such that the second stiffener is caused to bow within the second one of the channels. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of channels are sewn into the spacer mesh material. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15  wherein each of the stiffeners has a stiffener length, each of the plurality of channels has a respective channel length, and wherein each stiffener length is longer than a respective channel length. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 10  wherein the outer material is provided with one or more attachment members.